NFC meeting cancelled without reason: Afridi

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday accused the federal government of sidelining PTI and making key national decisions behind closed doors without taking stakeholders into confidence. Addressing a news conference in the federal capital, Afridi said the federal government had abruptly cancelled a scheduled meeting on NFC issue without providing reasons, adding that decisions affecting the entire country were being made without transparency. He alleged that PTI, which he described as the country's largest political party, was being "pushed against the wall", while unfair treatment continued against party's founding chairman Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi and family members. The K-P chief minister maintained that the public had overwhelmingly voted for the PTI founder and wanted him to lead national decision-making, but neither he nor his party was being consulted on key matters. Criticising the government's economic management, the chief minister said Pakistan's trade deficit had exceeded $20 billion, agricultural growth was turning negative, and youth were seeking ways to leave the country. He also questioned rising fuel prices, saying petrol had reached Rs321 per litre despite lower global oil prices.